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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. snap — to click
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — army training
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. cue — for pool
  11. drill — the tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — the underground
  23. cue — a hint
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com